Shorter hospital stays do not seem to increase the risk that patients will develop complications and need to return, a study in Veterans Administration hospitals suggests. / PhotoDisc

by Kim Painter, Special for USA TODAY

by Kim Painter, Special for USA TODAY

Hospital stays: Hospital patients are sent home much more quickly these days, but shorter stays do not seem to lead to more deaths or more complications that put patients back in hospitals -- at least at Veterans Administration facilities, a new study shows. Researchers do not know whether they would find the same reassuring patterns in other kinds of hospitals. (HealthDay)

Hair and exercise: About 40% of African American women in a small new study say they sometimes avoid exercise because of concerns about their hair -- such as getting it sweaty or ruining a carefully-maintained style. The study of 103 women in North Carolina documents a widely-suspected problem that needs better solutions, researchers say. (Reuters)

Perfect snack? Researchers who tried several options say they may have discovered the ideal afternoon snack for kids: a combination of vegetables and cheese. Kids who got that filling but nutritious combo ate fewer calories than those who got potato chips or cheese alone. They also ate just as many veggies as those who get vegetables alone. (MedPage Today)

Today's talker: What would you grab if you were a paralyzed person given the use of a mind-controlled robotic arm? How about a chocolate bar? That was high on the list of Jan Scheuermann, a 53-year-old woman who is using such an experimental arm at the University of Pittsburgh. She first had to pick up rocks and stack cones, but eventually got that chocolate bar, NBC News reports. Scheuermann, who had electrodes implanted in her brain to control the arm, says she is thrilled with the results, even if she can't yet use the arm outside of a lab: "This is skydiving. It's just fabulous, and I'm enjoying every second of it."